Moses and the Gathering of Israel : The First Attempt at Fulfilling the Abrahamic Covenant

1. A Nation of Size I. The seed of Abraham become a nation: a people of large size. Recall that when Jehovah entered into the covenant He made with Abraham, He told Abraham that his posterity would a foreigner “in a lnad that is not theirs,” and that in that land they would brought into bondage “four hundred years.” But the Lord promised Abraham that “in the fourth generation” he would bring them back again to the promised land” (Gen. 15:13-16) Also Recall that when Jacob (Israel) was invited to move to and live in Egypt (Gen. 45:16-25), the spoke to him “in the visions of the night” and said: “fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation.” He was also promised, “I will also surely bring thee up again” (Gen., 46:4).

The book of Exodus tells the story of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s posterity–often called Israel, the children of Israel or the House of Israel–going to Egypt where they became a people of size, were brought into bondage, and their redemption from bondage in preparation for their return to the promised land. When Jacob and his family came to Egypt, Pharaoh gave to him and his sons the land of Goshen–a region in the eastern portion of the Nile delta. They made Goshen the permanent place of residence for the next 400-plus years (Gen. 15:13-16; Ex. 12:40; Acts 7:6). During this time “the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them” (Ex. 1:7). II. The Children of Israel are brought into bondage. Abraham’s posterity had now become a people of great size. That was the good news. But there was also bad news. The

Egypt, Sinai, and the Promised Land from Space Egypt is on the left side of this picture with the Nile River emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. Goshen, where the children of Israel were held in bondage, was in the eastern region of the delta of the Nile River. The Sinai Desert is the peninsula on the north end of the Red Sea. The Promised Land is the green area along the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea to the north of Sinai. The nearest rout to the Promised Land from Goshen would have been to follow the coast line from Goshen to the Promised Land. However, the Lord lead Israel through the Red Sea into the Sinai Desert. In the desert was a mountain named Horeb–known as the mountain of God. It is often called Mt. Sinai. It was to here that Moses was to lead the children of Israel (see Ex. 3:12; 19: 1-2)

Egyptians began to fear the size of the Israelites, yet, at the same time, they saw Israel as a valuable commodity of laborers who could build their cities. They forced them into bondage and to build “for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.” The account says that “their lives bitter with hard bondage” (Ex. 1:8-14). III. The Children of Israel lose the fulness of the gospel. Though we are not specifically told when or how, during their time in bondage, the children of Israel lose the fulness of the gospel administered by the “greater priesthood” which holds the “key of the knowledge of God” (D&C 84:19). Though they were descendants of Israel they were no longer “the covenant people” of the Lord. They were hard in heart and “a people that [did] err in their heart, and they [did] not know my ways” (Ps. 95:6-11). They were like salt that has lost its savor. The Lord has said: When men are called unto mine everlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, they are accounted as the salt of the earth and the savor of men; They are called to be the savor of men; therefore, if that salt of the earth lose its savor, behold, it is thenceforth good for nothing only to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. (D&C 101:39-40; emphasis added)

Elder Carlos E.. Asay of the Seventy explained what it means to “lost its savor”: A world-renowned chemist told me that salt will not lose its savor with age. Savor is lost through mixture and contamination. Similarly, priesthood power does not dissipate with age; it, too, is lost through mixture and contamination.“ (Ensign, May 1980, p.42) IV. God remember’s the covenant made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Lord was not going to allow this situation to continue. The account reads: “God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them” (Ex. 2:24-25). In other words, according to the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob–that he would bless Abraham’s posterity with the gospel and a land where they could worship God (Abr. 2:6-11)–the Lord would now set his hand to restore Israel to the knowledge of the gospel and to the promised land. To do this, a man with priesthood authority and keys whereby His government could be administered was needed.

3. Moses, the First Gatherer of Israel I. The early years of Moses About 1300 B.C., the man ordained of God to restore the gospel to Israel and free them from bondage was born. His name was Moses. Bruce R. McConkie (1915-85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated that, “Moses, the man of God, continued the work of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in standing as a father and friend and founder of the family of Israel.” (A N ew W itness for the A rticles of Faith [1985], p. 522) Moses was born a Hebrew but raised an Egyptian in Pharaoh’s court. We are told in the New Testament by Stephen that he “was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds” (Acts 7:22). When he was forty, Moses killed an Egyptian who was “smiting an Hebrew” slave. When this was found out, Moses fled Egypt for his life. He went to the land of Midian near the Sinai wilderness (Ex. 2:11-15). While there he lived with

Jethro, the priest of Midian and a descendent of Abraham through Keturah, Abraham’s third wife (Gen. 25:1-4). Jethro gave to Moses one of his daughters to marry (Ex. 2:21). He also conferred upon Moses the Melchizedek priesthood including the keys of the kingdom (D&C 84:6). III. Moses called to redeem Israel from bondage and bring them back to the promised land. Some forty years after fleeing Egypt and living with the Midianites, the Lord called Moses as His servant, priesthood leader, to redeem Israel from bondage. This calling came when he was shepherding his sheep near the base of a sacred mountain known as “the mountain of God” and called Horeb, often simply Mt. Sinai. While shepherding, the Lord called to Moses from a bush that appeared to be on fire but “was not consumed.” He told Moses, “Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.” Truly this was no ordinary mountain but the “mountain of God” or the Lord’s holy temple or dwelling place (Ex. 1:1-5). The Lord introduced himself to Moses, saying, “I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” recalling the Abrahamic covenant. He then told Moses that he was to return to Egypt and bring the Israelites out of bondage and lead them to the very mountain Moses was standing upon (Ex. 3:6-12). At the sacred mountain of Sinai, the children of Israel were to meet with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and sacrifice unto him, or in other words, they were to come to the temple and enter into a covenant with their God (Ex. 3:13-18). All this would be preparatory to the children of Israel going to the promised land.

4. Israel Redeemed from Egyptian Bondage I. Moses comes before Pharaoh who questions who Jehovah is. The plagues were the Lord’s devise to teach both Egypt and Israel who Jehovah is. Moses returned from Sinai to the court oanf Pharaoh in Egypt. To Pharaoh, Moses said, “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness” (Ex. 5:1). To no surprise, Pharaoh refused the request. Under the direction of God, Moses levied a series of nine plagues upon Egypt (Ex. 7-9). It appears the plagues were intended to accomplish two things: (1) to show to both Egypt and Israel that the gods of Egypt were false, and thus (2) to soften Pharaoh’s heart so that he would follow the only true and living God and allow the children of Israel leave Egypt. Each plague was designed to accomplish this by showing that the God of the Hebrews had power over the various elements that the Egyptians believed were controlled by their false gods. Through the progression of each plague, Egypt and Israel were shown that the god of Israel was not limited in power but in fact the god over all the earth. Pharaoh refused to be impressed by these events but hardened his heart not allowing Israel to leave Egypt (JST Ex. 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10). The Lord then sent a tenth and final plague upon all Egypt. This was the plague of the death of the first born (Ex. 11). II.The tenth plague, the death of the firstborn, would free Israel from bondage. The plague would not only effect Egyptians but also the Israelites. They could escape it if they participated in a special feast that has become known as the Feast of Passover followed by a seven day feast called Unleavened Bread. They eventually become

one Feast. The Israelites were taught that in order to avoid this plague, they were to participate in the ordinance of the Passover (Ex. 11-12). This was a special dinner which involved the eating of a roasted lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. After the “destroying angel” (D&C 89:21) went throughout Egypt killing the firstborn of every man and animal, Pharaoh relented and allowed the children of Israel to be released from bondage. Then God, represented by a pillar of fire and smoke, led the children of Israel out of Egypt (Ex. 13:20-22). To learn more of the Feast of the Passover and its symbolic meanings, see-• “Feasts” in the LDS Bible Dictionary. • “The Passover Supper,” Ensign, Apr. 2014 • John P. Pratt, “Passover: Was It Symbolic of His Coming?” Ensign, Jan. 1994, pp. 38–45 • Terry W. Treseder, “Passover Promises Fulfilled in the Last Supper,” Ensign, Apr. 1990, pp. 18–23. • Lenet H. Read, “Symbols of the Harvest: Old Testament Holy Days and the Lord’s Ministry,” Ensign, Jan. 1975.

III. Upon the death of the firstborn, Pharaoh commanded the Israelites to leave Egypt. The Lord directed them through a pillar of fire and by the way of the Red Sea (Heb. reed sea). The scriptural account tells us that God did not lead the Israelites out of Egypt by way of the nearest or quickest route which was “through the way of the land of the Philistines,” but instead “God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea.” As they left, “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him” as he “straitly sworn the children of Israel” to do. (Ex. 13:17-19). Pharaoh had a change of hear after releasing Israel from bondage and led his army to recapture the Israelites. With Pharaoh’s army to their back and the Red Sea to their front, Israel was hemmed in. Seeing there was no apparent way to escape the Egyptians, the children of Israel complained to Moses regarding their plight. To this, Moses said, “stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.” Upon that, the Lord parted the Red Sea and caused the children of Israel to pass through on dry ground. However, when the Egyptians tried to pass through the Red Sea, the Lord caused the waters to return, thus destroying the Egyptian army (Ex. 14:5-31). Once through the Red Sea, Moses and the children of Israel were in the barren desert of the Sinai peninsula where both food and water were scarce. As the Israelites journeyed to Mt. Sinai, they hungered for food and water. The children of Israel murmured to Moses saying that it would have been better to have remained in Egypt where at least they had food and water. In consequence of their grumbling the Lord provided bread from heaven (manna) on a daily basis (Ex. 16) and on one occasion he had Moses heal bitter water (Ex. 15:23-26) and on another occasion he supplied water from a rock (Ex. 17). Thus, after leaving Egypt the children of Israel lived off the sustenance of the Lord. IV. The Exodus story a type and shadow of the Plan of Redemption The Exodus story has become a type and shadow of what man must do to escape the bondage of this world that comes because of sin so that he might enter into the promised land of the celestial kingdom. Just as the first step of Israel’s escape from bondage was the death of the firstborn, so the first step of our deliverance from sin is the death of Christ. As Israel followed Moses to the promised land, so we must exercise faith in living prophets who

speak the mind and will of Christ whose words will lead us to exaltation. As Israel was led through the Red Sea to be saved from the destruction of the Egyptians, we must all be baptized to be saved from the eternal consequences of our sins. (In 1 Cor. 10:1-2, Paul tells us that the crossing of the Red Sea was symbolic of baptism. Further, note that the parting of the Red Sea is similar to the ritual of the cutting of the covenant in Genesis 15 where the animals were cut in half and the one making the covenant walked between the severed pieces.) As Israel was fed bread and water from heaven instead of given the food of this world, so we must live the ways of God instead of the ways of the world. Finally, as we will now see, as Israel was brought to Mt. Sinai to enter into covenants with God before entering into the promised land, so we must be brought to the temple to enter into covenants with God that will prepare us to enter into the celestial king.

5. The Gathering of Israel to Their God I. Israel to become “An Holy Nation” In the third month of their journey from Egypt, the children of Israel arrived at the base of Mt. Sinai where they “camped before the mount” (Ex. 19:1). Their stay lasted for eleven months. Coming out of Egypt, Israel was now a people of size. They now needed to become a “covenant people.” It was the Lord’s intent to establish the descendants of Abraham as a unified people with one God and one religion. To the Israelites, the Lord said: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar [Heb., valued property] treasure unto me above all people . . . and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation” (Ex. 19:5-6). It was also the Lord’s design to get the Israelites ready to “behold the face of God” or bring them into his presence (D&C 84:23). II. The Preparatory and Higher Gospel [The following is a repetition of what you should have learned earlier in the course; but like Moroni teaching Joseph Smith, it will be repeated.] In order to be prepared to enter into the presence of God and receive all the blessings he had in store for them, Israel would have to enter into and keep all the ordinances of both the lower and higher or everlasting gospel. The lower gospel is known as the preparatory gospel and consists of “the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments [such as the ten commandments]” (D&C 84:26-27). Or in other words, it is the first principles and ordinances of the gospel (A of F 4). The preparatory gospel is entered into by covenant of baptism. Upon entrance into the preparatory gospel, the initiate has entered into the “strait and narrow path” that leads to eternal life. Once on the strait and narrow path, one must enter into the ordinances of the higher gospel before being qualified to come into the presence of God and live. The higher gospel is variously called the “the everlasting covenant of the holy priesthood” (JST Deut. 10:2) or the “holy order, and the ordinances thereof” (JST Ex. 34:1; see also Alma 13 and Moses 6:67). We have observed in the time of Adam (see Moses 6: 6468) that the holy order consists of the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Recall that President Ezra Taft Benson stated: “To enter into the order of the Son of God is

the equivalent today of entering into the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood, which is only received in the house of the Lord.” (“W hat I H ope You W ill Teach Your C hildren A bout the T em ple,” E nsign, A ug. 1985, p. 43) It is only by active participation in these ordinances that men and women can prepare themselves to enter into God’s presence (see D&C 84:1922). III. Israel Enters into the preparatory gospel The first step in becoming “an holy nation” (or Zion society) worthy of entering the presence of God was for the children of Israel to enter into the preparatory gospel by covenant. Exodus 19-24 gives an account of the children of Israel entering into the preparatory gospel by covenant. To prepare for the covenant, the children of Israel were sanctified and their clothes were washed (Ex. 19:10-11). The mountain was also prepared by establishing a border around the base between the people and the mountain with the injunction that no one was to touch the border or pass beyond it lest they should be put to death (Ex. 19:12-13). On the third day, the Lord descended on top of the mountain, his divine presence being represented by “fire and smoke”(Ex. 19:16-25). In the hearing of the Israelites, the Lord gave to Moses the 10 commandments (or “carnal commandments”) as part of the preparatory gospel (Ex. 20; Deut. 5). Exodus 24 records the ritual the Israelites participated in when they entered into the covenant where they promised to obey the 10 commandments. After reducing the covenant into writing, Moses built an altar at the base of the mountain and placed twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel around the altar. Moses then read to the children of Israel the terms of the covenant. In response, the Israelites said, “All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.” Then Moses sprinkled the blood of sacrificed animals on the altar (representing God) and the children of Israel (most likely the twelve stones) suggesting the retributive nature of the covenant (the same as when the Lord passed between the pieces of the severed animals in Gen. 15). That is, if the children of Israel broke their covenant they would suffer death even as the sacrifices from whom the blood had come. Moses referred to this as the “blood covenant” in these terms: “Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words” (Ex. 24:8). (These words were used similarly by the Savior when introducing the sacrament of the new covenant in Matt. 26:28.) IV. Moses receives the higher law After entering by covenant into the preparatory gospel, the next step for Israel to become “an holy nation” involved entering into higher covenants or ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood. In preparation for this, the Lord informed Moses that he was to once again come to the mountain where he would receive tables of stone upon which these higher ordinances and laws would be written (Ex. 24:12). For forty days and nights, Moses was in the presence of God upon the mountain. Against common belief, this is the first time Moses was on the mountain for 40 days and nights. During this time, Moses received the higher law. Then the details of both the preparatory and higher gospel were written on the tables of stone “with the finger of God” (Ex. 31:18). The Tabernacle–A Portable Temple

While on the mount, Moses not only received the tables of stone upon which the fullness of the gospel was written but he also received detailed instructions concerning the building of a portable temple commonly called the Tabernacle wherein the ordinances of both the preparatory gospel and the higher law could be performed (Ex. 25-31). One of the Hebrew names of the Tabernacle is ohel mo’ed, which is best translated “tent of meeting.” This is an appropriate name for this structure because the Tabernacle was the place where the Israelites were to prepare to meet God and live in his presence. The Tabernacle consisted of a large rectangular courtyard within which was placed the sanctuary. Entrance into the courtyard was through a single gate which located on the eastern side. The sanctuary was found on the western end. Between the gate and the sanctuary there was an altar for sacrifice and a laver (a large metal bowl full of water) for ritual washings. This is where the ordinances associated with the preparatory gospel (or Aaronic Priesthood) would be performed. Beyond the laver was the sanctuary or temple. The sanctuary was divided into two rooms. The foreroom was called the holy place while the back room was known as the most holy place or the holy of holies. In the holy place there was a seven-branched candelabrum, a table with twelve loaves of bread placed thereon, and an altar of incense. The altar of incense was placed immediately before a veil which separated the holy place from the most holy place. The furnishings of the holy place were associated with the ordinances of the higher gospel (or Melchizedek Priesthood). The holy of holies was the most sacred room in the Tabernacle. In it was placed an ark known as the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant represented the throne of God. It appears from D&C 84:19-24, that the Lord initially intended that the children of Israel would pass through the ordinances of both the preparatory gospel (performed in the courtyard) and higher gospel (performed in the holy place) thus qualifying them to come into his presence symbolized by the passing through the veil into the most holy place (where God’s presence was represented by the Ark of the Covenant). However, as we will now see, Israel lost their right to the Melchizedek priesthood portion of the temple. V. Israel’s rebells and break their covenant with God During the 40 days Moses was on the mount, the children of Israel turned back to Egyptian idolatry. They fashioned a golden calf and participated in the fertility cult worship with its immorality (Ex. 32:1-6). In so doing, they violated many of the ten commandments they had covenanted with the Lord that they would obey. Hence, the covenant was broken, forcing God into the position of executing the demands of the broken covenant: Israel must be destroyed! At the moment God was going to satisfy justice, Moses interceded in behalf of his people, reminding God of the covenant he made with Abraham, saying, “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever” (Ex. 32:13). In response, the Lord said: “If they will repent of the evil which they have done, I will spare them, and turn away my fierce wrath; but, behold, thou shalt execute judgment upon all that will not repent of this evil this day” (JST Ex. 32:14). We find within this story Moses as a type of Christ wherein

he demonstrates the mediatorial role of Christ. Further, this story illustrates the powerful role of the Abrahamic covenant in the salvation of Israel. When Moses came off the mount he found the children of Israel participating in the fertility cult worship. He threw down the tables of stone breaking them as a sign of the broken covenant and the loss of the higher law they would have received (Ex. 32:19). He then stood outside of the camp and cried, “Who is on the LO R D ’s side?”(Ex. 32:26). Those repenting of their actions came to where Moses was standing while the rest were executed by the tribe of Levi (Ex. 32:27-29). VI. Law of Moses given in place of the higher law Moses returned to Mt. Sinai once again for another forty days and forty nights (Ex. 34:28). During this time he received divine assurance that the Lord would once again own his people and bring them to the promised land (Ex. 32:31-33:23). The Lord then commanded Moses to “hew two other tables of stone” whereon the terms and conditions of a new covenant were written. This included everything that was written on the first set of tables “save the words of the everlasting covenant of the holy priesthood” or the higher ordinances of the temple (JST Deut. 10:2; see also JST Ex. 34:1-2 and D&C 84:23-27). In other words, the higher gospel or Melchizedek Priesthood order was removed thus denying the children of Israel the ordinances that would enable them to come into the presence of the Lord. Brigham Young said of this: “If they had been sanctified and holy, the children of Israel would not have travelled one year with Moses before they would have received their endowments and the Melchizedek Priesthood. But they could not receive them, and never did. Moses left them, and they did not receive the fulness of that Priesthood.” (Journal of D iscourses, 6:100-10)

In place of the higher gospel, Moses received what became known as the “law of Moses” (much of which is found in the Books of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). The prophet Abinadi said that the law of Moses was “a law of performances and ordinances, a law which they [Israel] were to observe strictly from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God and their duty towards him” (Mosiah 13:30). The Apostle Paul taught that the law was intended to be a “schoolmaster” that would “bring [Israel] unto Christ” and the higher law (Galatians 3:24). Essentially, the law of Moses was a set of laws that were given to the Israelites that might be thought of as object lessons that illustrated the importance of the preparatory gospel and explain how it functioned. Hence, the preparatory gospel was the focus of the law of Moses. This law was not only to be the religious code of the Israelites but also their civil code. After returning from the mount with the new set of stone tablets, Moses explained the new law and covenant to the children of Israel (Ex. 34:29-35:19). Then the children of Israel entered into a covenant to keep the law of Moses (Ex. 34:27-28). This covenant replaced the covenant the children of Israel had made in Exodus 24. VII. The Construction of the Tabernacle Though the higher ordinances of the Melchizedek priesthood (those which would have been performed in the sanctuary or temple) were excluded from the law of Moses, thus essentially cutting the people off from the sanctuary or presence of the Lord, the building of the portable temple or

Tabernacle was nevertheless necessary. The reason was this: the altar of sacrifice and laver located in the outer courtyard, which were essential in performing the ordinances associated with the preparatory gospel, would naturally play an essential part in the performances and ordinances of the law of Moses. Further, the fact that the common Israelite was cut off from the sanctuary should have been a constant reminder that higher laws and ordinances were necessary in order for man to come back into the presence of God. The law of Moses did not provide those ordinances and laws. These must come at a future time. How much of this the children of Israel understood is not known. Nevertheless the building of the Tabernacle was important to them in order to live the law of Moses. Consequently, after the children of Israel entered into the covenant of the law of Moses, “they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing” and brought all the offerings necessary for the construction of the Tabernacle (Ex.35:21). The Tabernacle was then constructed. After its completion, the cloud of smoke and fire (which led the children of Israel out of Egypt and which rested upon Mt. Sinai) descended upon the portable temple indicating God’s acceptance (Ex. 40:34-38). Further, the Tabernacle would be the residence of Jehovah and no longer Mt. Sinai. Wherever Israel went, their God would be with them. However, Israel would never be able to behold God’s presence for they remained cut off from the presence of God. This was dramatically symbolized by the veil that separated the holy place from the most holy place for according to the law of Moses the common Israelite could not pass through the veil into the most holy place